John Elway’s return to the Broncos as executive vice president of football operations represents a rarity in pro sports — a former Hall of Fame player running a team. The track record of Hall of Famers who have moved to the front office in recent years is mixed:

FOOTBALL

Ozzie Newsome

The Hall of Fame tight end with the Browns, at one time the position’s all-time receptions leader, has had a successful nine-year run as the Baltimore Ravens’ general manager. Even before he moved into the GM job, he was acknowledged as an NFL personnel and scouting guru.

Larry Wilson

The hard-hitting defensive back, a Canton inductee in 1978, was the Cardinals’ vice president and general manager from 1988-93 and served as VP until 2002. The franchise’s lack of success in the period generally was attributed to weak ownership rather than Wilson’s work.

BASKETBALL

Joe Dumars

Dumars was a versatile guard with the Pistons who has earned widespread praise during his 11-year run as the team’s director of basketball operations, or its de facto general manager. The Pistons won the NBA championship in 2004 and made the Eastern Conference finals six years in a row.

Isiah Thomas

On the other hand, Dumars’ backcourt partner with the “Bad Boys” was an unmitigated disaster on every level during his run as the New York Knicks’ president of basketball operations from 2003-08. He’s now the men’s basketball coach at Florida International University in Miami.

Larry Bird

After three seasons as the coach of his home-state Indiana Pacers, a run that included NBA coach of the year honors in 1998, “The Legend” stepped away from the bench. He returned to the Pacers in 2003, though, and has been their president of basketball operations ever since, with mixed results.

Jerry West

The legendary Lakers guard had a terrific 20-year run as the team’s GM, then moved to the Memphis Grizzlies to serve in the same job from 2002- 07. He accepted a consulting position with the Golden State Warriors this year, receiving a minority ownership share in the franchise.

Elgin Baylor

One of the NBA’s great all-around forwards, Baylor served — or should that be “survived”? — for 22 years as the GM of the lowly Los Angeles Clippers. He was named NBA executive of the year in 2006, two years before he was fired.

BASEBALL

Nolan Ryan

There has been speculation about John Elway eventually becoming a significant part of Broncos ownership, and Ryan’s experience with the Texas Rangers is an example of how that can be pulled off. The Hall of Fame pitcher became team president in 2008, then added owner and CEO labels the next year after he and Chuck Greenberg won an auction to take control of the troubled franchise. The Rangers were in the World Series last year.

Hank Aaron

Baseball’s all-time home run king of the pre-steroids era has been senior vice president and assistant to the president with the Atlanta Braves since 1980 and as such has been involved with the team’s front office and personnel evaluation, and as an ambassador for the game.

HOCKEY

Steve Yzerman

Detroit’s Hall of Fame center, one of the most respected players in the NHL, served an apprenticeship under longtime GM Ken Holland, then moved to the Tampa Bay Lightning to become president and GM before last season. With Yzerman making a handful of moves to nudge along the Lightning’s rebuilding, Tampa Bay became one of the league’s success stories last season.

Bobby Clarke

The gap-toothed heart and soul of the “Broad Street Bullies” in Philadelphia had what generally is considered a successful career in NHL front offices, serving as GM with the Flyers (twice), Florida and Minnesota. Burned out, he stepped away from the GM role in Philadelphia five years ago and now is the team’s senior vice president.

A graduate of Wheat Ridge High School and the University of Colorado, Terry Frei has been named a state's sportswriter of the year seven times -- four times in Colorado and three times in Oregon. He's the author of seven books, including the novel "Olympic Affair" about Colorado's Glenn Morris, the 1936 Olympic decathlon champion; and "Third Down and a War to Go," about the 1942 football national champion Wisconsin Badgers and the players' subsequent World War II heroism.

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